Florida DOC Secretary Ricky Dixon Announces Retirement

On May 28, Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) Secretary Ricky Dixon announced that he will retire on June 30 after 30 years of dedicated service to the state.

Secretary Dixon began his career in 1996 as a Correctional Officer at Lancaster Correctional Institution. He advanced through the ranks to lead the third-largest state correctional system in the nation after being appointed to the leadership role by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021. During his tenure, Secretary Dixon was responsible for operational management and leadership of the FDC’s $4 billion budget, 24,000 employees, approximately 90,000 inmates, and more than 144,000 offenders on community supervision.

In a letter to Gov. DeSantis, Dixon said that it has been “the honor of a lifetime” to serve alongside fellow FDC employees. Dixon also cited accomplishments from his tenure as Secretary, including achieving consecutive pay raises for Florida’s corrections and probation officers, modernizing agency operations through implementing technological improvements, leading legislative efforts to reduce contraband, and reducing the state’s recidivism rates to among the lowest in the nation, among others.

Dixon is also President of the American Correctional Association. In a separate letter to the ACA membership, Dixon reaffirmed his commitment to the Association and said that he plans to complete his term through the end of the year.

“This moment is not an ending, but rather an opportunity to devote even greater attention to the important work of ACA and the advancement of the corrections professional nationwide,” said Dixon.